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An Introduction and a Quick Guide to Sandboxie

Last updated by Anupam on 01. March 2013 - 13:48

Introduction

We are all aware of the dangers of malware infection from the Internet these days. The danger
has always been there, but this has increased a lot more because people with malicious intents
are constantly devising new methods to infect the systems, and the inexperienced, naive,
general-users/elderly/teens are the most affected by it. Malware infection from the Internet can
occur in many ways, a few of which are:

Downloading a malware infected setup/file from a malicious site

Venturing to a malicious site
Clicking on a bad link in an email, or on a page, or on a bad advertisement
Clicking on links that fool you into believing that there is a malware on the system and prompt
you to install rogue software etc.

Although there are many ways of getting infected by malware it does not mean that we need to
become paranoid, or live in constant fear of the possible consequences. With a little effort,
precaution, and by using common sense we can easily avoid getting systems infected with
malware. Different safe practices have already been covered in various articles on this site, and
can be read to learn how you can stay safe by following a few guidelines. We will all agree that
precaution is always the best option.

In this article, we are going to learn about an excellent software called Sandboxie, which will
keep you safe while surfing on the Internet.
Table of Contents:

Purpose of the article

What is Sandboxie?
Benefits of Sandboxie
Uses of Sandboxie
Installation
Usage
Setting Up Sandboxie
Conclusion
Related Links

Purpose of the article

The purpose of this article is to make people, especially the general users, aware of this
wonderful software Sandboxie. To general users, Sandboxie appears a difficult software to use,
or even understand what it's about, and its settings may also seem a bit intimidating. This article
is an attempt to explain about Sandboxie in a very simple way, and to help get it up and running
with only the minimum and necessary changes to its settings. Just a little bit of patience is
required to read through this article, but I am sure it will increase your knowledge of how to use
Sandboxie.

Sandboxie has many settings and, if so desired, with the help of those settings an experienced
user can further enhance and tighten security. But for general users, these changes are not
required. Hence, this article will not cover the settings in depth, but only a few necessary ones.
Detailed help for Sandboxie is available on its own site and is very well written.
What is Sandboxie?

Sandboxie
is a unique security product based on the principle of sandboxing. In simple computer terms, a
sandbox is an isolated environment for running programs. The environment will be exactly like
the real system, the only difference being it's isolated from the real system. This technique is also
being used in other programs, such as Google Chrome, and some of the antivirus software.
Inside Sandboxie, the programs will run normally, like they do outside the sandbox, but whatever
changes are made, stay inside the sandbox, and the actual system remains unaffected by those
changes.

Let's say you are running a web browser in Sandboxie. Everything will be done in the normal
way, you can click on links, visit sites, and download files etc, but, it will all take place in an
isolated environment. Therefore, even if you go to a malicious site, or click on a malicious link, or
even download a malicious file, the actual system will not be affected.

Now suppose while surfing inside Sandboxie, you click on a malicious link, and start seeing signs
of malware infection, and/or the antivirus alerts you about it, all you have to do is, delete the
contents of Sandboxie. That's it. The malware will be gone, and the system will remain safe,
since the malware was not able to come out of Sandboxie. Nothing can come out of the sandbox
environment until you allow it.

Note: This article is about Sandboxie's free version. The free version misses a few features -
ability to force programs/folders to open in Sandboxie, and running programs in more than one
sandbox at the same time. While these features are great, but they are not necessary, and the
free version of Sandboxie is quite enough for general and home usage.

After 30 days of usage, the free version of Sandboxie also shows a pop-up window as a reminder
to upgrade to the commercial version, with a 5-second delay when it starts. But, this is just a
small inconvenience which can be overlooked, considering the excellent security and safety that
Sandboxie provides. Use it for a few days, and you will agree with this.
Benefits of Sandboxie

Sandboxie makes surfing the web really secure and safe: you can always be relaxed and be sure
that no malware can infect your system. Also, while surfing, various temporary files, cookies,
cache, etc, are created and downloaded to the computer. All the aforementioned remain inside
Sandboxie and can be easily cleaned by deleting the Sandboxie contents, and without worrying
about where to look for them on your computer. Just one click to delete the Sandboxie contents,
and it's all gone.

The biggest benefit is the peace of mind, and assured security, which is offered by the excellent
protection of Sandboxie. Even if you come across a malware inside Sandboxie, there is no need
to panic, because you can be assured that the malware won't be able to escape to the real
system. Deleting the contents of Sandboxie is all that is required to get rid of any malware
encountered.
Uses of Sandboxie

The main use of Sandboxie is for surfing the web where it keeps the browser isolated, and the
system remains safe from various malware infections.

But, since Sandboxie offers an isolated environment, it can be used to test software too. The
software will run in Sandboxie, and the changes made during the installation, or its running, will
not affect the system. If you do not like the software, or if it's malicious, all you have to do is
delete the contents of Sandboxie. No changes will be made to the actual system at all. If the
software is safe to use, then you can install the software actually on the system, by installing it
out of Sandboxie.

Installing software in Sandboxie also helps in knowing what files and folders the software installs
on the system. The files and folders will be created in Sandboxie, and can be seen, and explored,
from within Sandboxie itself. As a check, if you look for these specific files and folders on your
operating system, you won't be able to locate them because they are simply not there. They are
inside the Sandboxie's isolated space, which shows that the changes made inside Sandboxie do
not affect the actual system.
Installation

Installation of Sandboxie is pretty simple and straightforward. Just run the setup, and follow the
instructions. After installation of Sandboxie it will generally show a window titled Software
Compatibility, where it shows a list of software for which Sandboxie has made adjustments for
compatibility. It is just for information. Finally, it will show a very short interactive tutorial on
how to use Sandboxie.
On completion of installation, Sandboxie will also place a shortcut named Sandboxed Web
Browser on the desktop, which when clicked, will run the default web browser of the system,
inside Sandboxie. However, if you use a different browser for your normal everyday work, then a
shortcut for it can also be created very easily, which we will learn about in the next section.
Usage

When Sandboxie is installed and runs, it will show a window titled Sandboxie Control, as shown
in the image below. This is the main Sandboxie window. With no programs running inside
Sandboxie, it will simply show a yellow wedge shaped icon named Sandbox Defaultbox in the
window.

Sandboxie Control window with no running programs

The same yellow wedge shaped icon will be in the system tray too.

Sandboxie tray icon with no running programs

When a program is running inside Sandboxie, the main window will show the list of
programs/processes running currently inside Sandboxie, and the icon will change to yellow with
red dots.

Sandboxie Control windows with running programs

The Sandboxie icon in system tray will also change to yellow with red dots.

Sandboxie tray icon with red dots

That's how you know that something is running in Sandboxie.

Now to find if a program is running in Sandboxie or not. Let's say you are running a web browser
in Sandboxie (our prime example for this article). If you take the mouse cursor towards the top
of the web browser (i.e. the title bar), you will see a yellow border appear around the edges, as
shown in the image below. You will also see a [#] sign on either side of the name of the program
in the title bar on the top, and/or in the taskbar.

Sandboxed Firefox

These are ways to know, and confirm that the web browser is running in Sandboxie because
otherwise it will simply feel that the web browser is running normally: you won't notice the
difference at all, that's how convenient and non-intrusive Sandboxie is.

The yellow Sandboxie control icon in the system tray can be used to perform several operations,
which can also be performed from the main Sandboxie window. Right-clicking the Sandboxie tray
icon shows the different operations that can be performed.

Sandboxie tray icon right-click options

As can be seen from the image, you can run the default web browser, email client, or any other
program you want, sandboxed. You can terminate programs, delete the contents of Sandboxie,
or access the Quick Recovery (explained later) folders.

The main Sandboxie window can be easily accessed by either double-clicking the Sandboxie tray
icon, or by right-clicking on it, and selecting Show Window.

By default the main Sandboxie window is in Programs mode, which means it will show the list of
programs/processes running inside Sandboxie. To view the files and folders created inside
Sandboxie, you can switch the mode by clicking View --> Files and Folders, from the menu.

Terminating programs

Individual programs running inside Sandboxie can be closed normally. But they can also be
closed all at once, by just a few clicks:

Right-click on Sandboxie tray icon (see image above), and click on Terminate Programs.
It will show a warning that this action won't save the state, or data of those programs.
Click Yes, if you are sure, and all the programs inside Sandboxie will be terminated.

This is especially helpful if you encounter a malware while running programs inside Sandboxie. In
such situations, also remember to delete the Sandboxie contents, after terminating the
programs, which will get rid of any malware inside. Alternatively, just deleting the contents of
Sandboxie (explained next) will also terminate the programs, and immediately empty Sandboxie.

Programs can also be terminated from the main Sandboxie window by clicking from the menu:

Sandbox --> DefaultBox --> Terminate Programs.

Deleting Sanboxie contents

To delete Sandboxie contents:

Right-click on the Sandboxie icon in the system tray (see image above), and hover cursor over
DefaultBox.
Click on Delete Contents.
The Delete Contents window will pop up, and it will show the files to be recovered (explained
later), if any, from Sandboxie, with a summary of numbers of files and folders inside Sandboxie,
and the total size.
Click on the Delete Contents button to delete the Sandboxie contents. Any programs running
inside Sandboxie will be terminated immediately, and the contents of Sandboxie will be deleted
too.

The same can also be achieved from the main Sandboxie window, by clicking from the menu:

Sandbox --> DefaultBox --> Delete Contents.

Remember to delete the contents of Sandboxie on a regular basis, because the files and folders
created inside Sandboxie can keep on accumulating, taking up hard disk space.

Sandboxie contents can also be set to delete automatically via settings (explained here).

Running programs in Sandboxie

Running programs in Sandboxie is very easy, and can be done in several ways:

The simplest method is to right-click on any program icon/shortcut that you want to run, and
choose Run Sandboxed from the context menu - that's how simple it is.
Another method, discussed a bit earlier, is right-clicking the Sandboxie control icon in the
system tray, clicking DefaultBox, and then choosing the appropriate option to run the desired
program.
Yet another, albeit long method, is to open the main Sandboxie window, and from the menu,
click on Sandbox --> DefaultBox --> Run Sandboxed, and then choose an appropriate option.

Creating shortcuts for sandboxed programs

Creating a shortcut for a sandboxed program is also pretty easy. Just follow these steps:

In the main Sandboxie window, from the menu, click Configure.

Click on Windows Shell Integration.
Windows Shell Integration window will pop up showing different Sandboxie settings, in
different blocks (see image below).
Under the block titled Shortcut Icons, click the Add Shortcut Icons button
A window will show up briefly explaining what this action does, and how to create shortcut.
Click OK.
Another window named Run Sandboxed will pop up showing DefaultBox, in the box
underneath - simply click OK.
A menu list will be shown somewhat similar to the start menu list, from where you can choose
the program for which you want to create the shortcut.
Windows Shell Integration

That's it, the shortcut for the sandboxed program will be created on the desktop. Whenever you
double-click that shortcut, the corresponding program will automatically run in Sandboxie.
Setting Up Sandboxie

We will cover a few important settings for Sandboxie in this final section.

As mentioned earlier, Windows Shell Integration window shows some of the Sandboxie settings
(see image above). By default, all the settings here are enabled, and it's better to let them
remain as they are. Still, if you feel the need, you can change the settings. Like, under the
"Shortcut Icons" block, the checkboxes can be unchecked, in case you do not want a desktop
shortcut for the sandboxed default web browser, or its quick launch icon.

Let's move on to other settings of Sandboxie. These settings can be accessed from the menu of
the main Sandboxie control window by clicking:

Sandbox --> DefaultBox --> Sandbox Settings.

There are many settings here, but we will cover only the necessary ones. The rest can be
configured by reading the Sandboxie help on its website, or by going through them yourself.
Most of them are for advanced use, and so we do not need to change all of them.
Sandboxie SettingsSettings

A small tip: To avoid clicking Apply repeatedly, to apply the settings before moving to another
page, the checkbox named, Apply changes when switching to another page can be checked. It is
located at the bottom of the Settings window, on the left (as shown in the image above). This will
automatically save the changed settings on the current page, when you move to the next page of
settings.

The first section of settings that we will cover can be seen under Recovery. Let's first try and
understand what exactly recovery is.

As mentioned earlier in the article, nothing can come out of Sandboxie, until you allow it. For
instance, you downloaded a file from the Internet while surfing with a web browser inside
Sandboxie, and you would like to save it on the computer. The downloaded file is presently
inside the sandbox, and since the changes inside Sandboxie do not reflect on the system, to
actually save it on the computer, you need to take that file out of Sandboxie. This process of
taking the file out of Sandboxie is called recovery.

A little hint of caution here: Since nothing can come out of Sandboxie, unless you allow it to, you
should be careful while performing a recovery, and make sure that the file being recovered is not
malicious. Sandboxie offers protection from malware by providing an isolated space for
programs to run in, but to take something out of Sandboxie is a decision that rests solely in the
hands of the user - so please be careful.

Now on to the Recovery settings. There are two types of recovery, as explained below:

1. Quick Recovery

On selecting Quick Recovery, a list of pre-selected folders can be seen in the box (please refer to
Settings image above). These folders are selected by Sandboxie as the most common folders
where files are generally saved by users. If you save files to these folders ... great! If you save to
any other folder on the system, then that folder can be added to the list by clicking on the Add
Folder button, browsing to the desired folder, and selecting it. As can be seen, in the Settings
image, I have added D:\Downloads folder to the list, since I normally download files there.
Folders can be removed from the list by selecting a folder, and clicking the Remove button.

So, whenever you need to recover files from Quick Recovery folders, you have to invoke it, as
described below:

Right-click the Sandboxie control icon in the system tray.

Click on DefaultBox --> Quick Recovery.
The Quick Recovery window will show the list of files to be recovered (see image below).
Select the files.
To save them in the same corresponding folder on the system, click on the Recover to Same
Folder button.
If you want the files to be saved in any other folder - apart from the corresponding folder -
click on the Recover to Any Folder button, and browse and select the desired folder.

Quick Recovery

Quick Recovery will also be invoked when you try to delete the contents of Sandboxie. It's a way
of reminding you to recover your files before the Sandboxie contents are deleted, after which
the files cannot be recovered.

2. Immediate Recovery

Immediate Recovery is an extension of Quick Recovery. While Quick Recovery has to be initiated
explicitly, or will be invoked when you try to delete Sandboxie contents, Immediate Recovery is
invoked as soon as a file gets downloaded, or is saved by any program inside Sandboxie, in the
pre-selected folders of Quick Recovery.
So, as soon as a file is saved in those pre-selected folders, the Immediate Recovery window will
pop up (please refer to image below), with the first box showing the list of files, and the second
box providing options, to save to the corresponding folder on the system, or to recover to any
other folder. The files and appropriate option can be selected, and pressing the Recover button
will take the files out of Sandboxie and actually save it on the computer. Quite simple, isn't it?

Immediate Recovery

Sandboxie contents can be set to delete automatically. This can be done by enabling a setting
found under the Delete section of settings, from:

Delete --> Delete Invocation

Here, the checkbox for Automatically delete contents of sandbox can be checked, to enable the
setting. As explained on the settings page itself, enabling this setting will delete the contents of
Sandboxie automatically when the last program that is running inside Sandboxie is closed. Please
take note of the above statement, in case you want to enable this option. Do not use this setting,
in case you want to monitor the files and folders inside Sandboxie, even after closing all
programs. This setting however, will not delete the contents of Quick Recovery folders
automatically, and Quick Recovery will be invoked, in case there are any files there for recovery,
when Sandboxie is about to delete the contents.

Another checkbox can be seen under this section for Never remove this sandbox or delete its
contents, which when enabled, will protect deletion of Sandboxie contents, but this setting will
not be needed under normal cicumstances.

Next, we will change a few settings for the web browsers. As already explained, the changes
made inside Sandboxie are not reflected in the system; therefore, we have to make some
changes for the web browsers so that when we save bookmarks, or passwords, they are
reflected back and actually saved, and not lost after we delete Sandboxie contents. So, we have
to allow direct access to these from Sandboxie. Although this compromises security a bit, still,
it's a low risk compromise for a bit of convenience.

You can always choose not to allow direct access, but you will then have to remember to make
the desired changes out of Sandboxie. Always remember, changes made inside Sandboxie will be
lost when Sandboxie contents are deleted. So, if you want to make changes to a program,
perform those changes out of Sandboxie. For example, if you want to install add-ons for Firefox,
or, change its settings, you should do it outside Sandboxie.

Sandboxie provides settings for various popular browsers like Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet
Explorer, Opera, Maxthon, Seamonkey, Waterfox, and Pale Moon, although not all settings are
available for all browsers. These settings can be accessed from the Applications section of the
settings by clicking on Applications --> Web Browser, and then clicking on the appropriate
browser name to change its settings (please refer to the Settings image).

The way to change the settings is the same for all browsers; therefore, we just need to
understand them for one browser.

Let's take Firefox. There are several settings for Firefox: you will see a plus sign inside a pair of
square brackets, [+], next to Allow direct access to Firefox/Waterfox/Pale Moon phishing
database, which means that this setting has already been enabled by Sandboxie.

We want to allow direct access to bookmarks and to passwords, so select and double-click the
appropriate setting. Alternatively, selecting the setting with a mouse click, and clicking the Add
button will have the same effect of enabling the setting. So, to allow direct access to the Firefox
passwords, select Allow direct access to Firefox passwords, and double-click it. This will put a
plus sign against it, inside the square brackets, indicating that it has been enabled. The
procedure is the same for any other setting, for any other browser, which you want to enable, or
disable.
Conclusion

I hope this article helps you to get to know Sandboxie, and understand about it, and helps you in
setting it up easily, and using it.

If there are any suggestions or feedback about this article, please feel free to share them.

If there are any questions, or you want to learn more about Sandboxie, please post in the
freeware forum, where other Sandboxie users will help and guide you. There are many
knowledgeable members on the site and forum, who use Sandboxie and are more than willing to
help you.

Just a little note: Sandboxie is not a replacement for security software, like antivirus, or anti-
malware programs. Therefore, it is advised to keep the system updated and patched, and also
install a good antivirus, and keep it updated. While Sandboxie will keep you safe while browsing
inside it, but it's still advisable to follow good and safe surfing practices, and make it a part of
your habit.

Enjoy your safe and secure browsing experience with Sandboxie. Be safe. Happy Sandboxing!
Related Links

Detailed help for Sandboxie is available on its website, here:

http://www.sandboxie.com/index.php?HelpTopics
The site has a number of resources to learn all about Sandboxie in detail, listed on the above
page.

Sandboxie has been chosen as the top pick for the Best Free Browser Protection Utility review,
here:

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-browser-protection-utility.htm

There are other security based articles on the site that provide guidelines on how to keep your
system safe and secure. You will often find Sandboxie mentioned in them.

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/safe-computing-under-hour.htm
http://www.techsupportalert.com/how-to-secure-your-pc.php
http://www.techsupportalert.com/safe-surfing.php
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/best-free-security-diet-plan.htm

For more advanced reading, security related articles can be found here:

http://www.techsupportalert.com/sec
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Comments
Submitted by Fairportfan on 17. July 2015 - 17:10
(122952)

As of a month or so ago Sandboxie didn't work with Windows 10. (Its driver didn't work.) I
haven't tried it now that MS has released what is apparently the RTM version to preview testers.
I think i will try right now, as i have nothing better to do at the moment.

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Submitted by Fairportfan on 17. July 2015 - 17:14

(122953)

Okay - works now. Originally there was an issue with Sandboxie's driver, which must have been
resolved.

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Submitted by Anupam on 17. July 2015 - 17:49

(122954)

Thank you for the feedback :). The Sandboxie site does not post about Windows 10
compatability though. On the download page, only XP to Windows 8.1 are mentioned. Anyways,
I don't expect any software to be compatible with an OS whose final version hasn't been out yet.
Still, development might be going on for compatiblity with Windows 10 for sure. It's a good thing
if Sandboxie is working with Windows 10.

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Submitted by bo.elam on 6. August 2015 - 22:12

(123204)

The installer you get at the Downloads webpage at the Sandboxie website is for version 4.20.
That version doesn't work in Windows 10. Sandboxies beta version 5.01 is designed to work in
Windows 10. The spam filter don't allow me to post the link to the beta installer. You can get it at
the Sandboxie forum, look for Subforum Beta Version 5.01.

Bo

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Submitted by lowndesw on 22. November 2014 - 16:58

(119791)

As usual, ANOTHER EXCELLENT ARTICLE on a very good, and USEFUL, free software. What is so
amazing is that expensive, "Paid for" software do not get this kind of in-depth, unbiased,
USEFUL, UNDERSTANDABLE, comparative discussion and evaluation. An added bonus is the
Comments. I frequently learn a great deal from them, too!!

I have been using SANDBOXIE for years, ever since it was first discussed on GIZMO'S. It has been
used on various XP machines, laptops, desktops, Win7, and now Win8.1, 64 bit, with Chrome,
Chrome Canary, Firefox, IE, Opera etc. To my knowledge it has always worked flawlessly. It's one
of those "must have", first installed programs.

Anyone who has ever had a nasty downloaded on their machine KNOWS that "an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure".

THANK YOU, Anupam, for another excellent article!!

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Submitted by Anupam on 22. November 2014 - 17:59

(119793)
lowndesw, thank you so much for your kind words. Really glad you found the article useful :).

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Submitted by PeterT on 22. November 2014 - 9:52

(119788)

Be aware that this is not as easy to use stated. Investigating programme for use by elderly I
proceeded to two image searches. One for a picture of a Jaguar cat and one for a picture of a
Rolls Royce. On both instances the browser performed exactly as expected until it came to the
'save image as' context menu item. Immediately upon choosing this menu item the browser
crashed - this happened in all browsers. Many elderly people like to view/download images from
various places like Facebook or Wikipedia so this function is vital. Upon investigation there
appears to be no way to contact the company to make enquiry.

I will not be recommending this to any persons in my classes/groups!

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Submitted by Tomnov on 23. November 2014 - 20:52

(119820)

@PeterT
You cannot seriously expect full direct support from a company on a FREE version of their
software. And as you posted your comment on a Saturday, how many makers of Expensive, paid
versions of their software do you think would provide an instant reply on a weekend?
But as howiem suggests in his reply, you could avail yourself of their help/support forum, and
receive help within a few days.
Details of your problem would help too.
My guess is that if your default download folder has a very long name, for example on an XP
machine so it looks something like c:\living room computer\users and settings\...\...\my
documents\downloaded files....
and the path is too long for the browser and/or the operating system, when adding in the path
that Sandboxie adds by default for its own folder hierarchy.

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Submitted by eikelein on 22. November 2014 - 19:43

(119800)

@PeterT

I am offering a substantial bet that the computer you used for your tests is infected with some
sort of malware.

And when you post such nasty details more information on what browser(s), version(s) ans OS
(version?) would lend your words significant credibility.

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Submitted by howiem on 22. November 2014 - 17:47

(119792)

I have been using Sandboxie since version 1.x.

I do image searches all the time in my sandboxed browser and I also use a number of browsers.
Never encountered this problem in any sandbox or with any browser. The Sandboxie website
also has a forum has a forum where issues can be posted.

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Submitted by Anupam on 22. November 2014 - 13:12

(119789)
You are talking about Sandboxie, right? Which version? Which browsers did you use it with? This
will require discussion, so please post about it in the forum here, with all possible details about
the problem.. like installation, usage, etc. http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-
forum/freeware-installation-and...

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Submitted by roochie on 12. November 2014 - 21:41
(119590)

An excellent article, both informative and easy to understand - many thanks!

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Submitted by Anupam on 13. November 2014 - 6:47

(119595)
Many thanks for your appreciation :).

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Submitted by clas on 3. October 2014 - 12:37

(118940)

i just went thru this article again for a refresher on sandboxie. you are spot on. sandboxie is a
must-use for me and as i download a lot, the ability to take stuff out of the sandbox and into my
files is very important. since i have been using sandboxie i have had zero problems with any
nasties that the jerks of this digital world constantly throw at honest people. thanks again.

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Submitted by Martyn39 on 24. June 2014 - 15:31

(116902)

Apparently I am a Dummy - I can't get over the first hurdle. When I double click the Sandboxed
Web Browser icon , Firefox and a couple of other items appear in the Control window but the
Firefox item does not show the Firefox icon (just an empty window like the others) and does not
show its name within ##, Firefox also does not show in the list of running programs. If I then try
to start Firefox sandboxed from the quick launch area I get another entry called called plugin-
container. To get a running Firefox I can only do it outside the the sandbox.

What am I missing?

I am running Windows XP

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Submitted by bo.elam on 25. June 2014 - 5:00

(116915)
Hi Martyn, is your XP, 32 or 64 bits? XP 64 bits is not supported by Sandboxie.

If it is 32 bits, Can you run another browser sandboxed? If you haven't tried, try,

Are you getting any Sandboxie messages? If yes, what are the numbers?

Does Firefox opens up when you click on the Sandboxed Web Browser icon or nothing happens?

What antivirus, other security software are you using?

Bo

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Submitted by Blitz on 3. April 2014 - 10:32

(115466)

Brilliant article !!

Thank you for introducing me to Sandboxie !! What an excellent piece of software !! Have been
playing with it now for a few days and all I can say is that it says and does what it promotes..

You can also drag 'n' drop programs from your desktop and start menu straight onto the
Sandboxie Control Panel and it isolates that program..

Eg; open the Sandboxie Control Panel, click "start", then drag 'n' drop notepad / calculator..

Tweaked it the Sandboxie settings so I have a fluro-green bar around my web-browser and
applications that are sandboxed (green for 'good')

Once again, top stuff and top article and it's so easy to use !!

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Submitted by Anupam on 3. April 2014 - 10:43

(115467)
Thank you for the appreciation :). I hope you enjoy using Sandboxie and keep safe.

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Submitted by tedshony on 30. March 2014 - 13:05

(115406)

I tried Sandboxie and the options and settings feel lik a maze. Too many settings where I'm not
even sure what it's doing.

Toolwiz Timefreeze (freeware) is as simple as it gets. One click starts timefreeze and isolates all
changes in a virtual sandbox. One click stops timefreeze and you have the option of keeping all
the changes OR dropping all the changes (which automatically restarts your computer).
That's it.

I havn't used Timefreeze long enough to give it a 100% endorsement. But used it for a few days
downloading files, deleting files, etc. ..Selecting both options to keep or discard changes and
everything worked as advertised.

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Submitted by bo.elam on 1. April 2014 - 16:28

(115426)

Tedshony, the default settings sandbox is designed so it ll be easy for first time users to start
using Sandboxie immediately after installing the program, you really don't have to make changes
to settings right away. I believe first time users should use the sandbox with default settings for a
while and only make changes when they know what they are changing and the reason for
making the changes.

For convenience and security, the only changes in settings that I recommend you do after
installing Sandboxie for the first time are the following:

1) Set the sandbox to delete on closing.

2) For convenience, I recommend you allow bookmarks to be saved out of the sandbox.

3) Also for convenience, set the sandbox to allow downloads to be recovered out of the sandbox.

Important: set your browser to recover to one of the folders that are in the Quick recovery
window. Otherwise, recovering files might seem like its not something smooth and you ll get
frustrated. If you set it up correctly, recovering files works perfectly.

As a new Sandboxie user, you should know how antiviruses interact with Sandboxie.

http://www.sandboxie.com/index.php?FAQ_Virus
Let me finish saying that Sandboxies default sandbox was created with first time users in mind, it
is well balanced (security and convenience).

Regarding Toolwiz TimeFreeze. Light virtualization programs are great. I use them as well. I use
this kind of programs for testing other programs and Sandboxie (Application sandbox) for
security.

I ll give you a piece of advise regarding TTF or any other LV programs. It is safer not to save all
changes. It is better to use the program to drop all changes after rebooting. If you try a program
under TTF and you like it, install it after rebooting.

Bo

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Submitted by howiem on 22. November 2014 - 18:14

(119796)

Rather than set Sandboxie for automatic recovery of downloads, I recommend getting the free
VirusTotal Windows Uploader so you can test downloads for malware before recovering from the
sandbox by using the right context menu in Windows Explorer | Sendto | VirusTotal
https://www.virustotal.com/en/documentation/desktop-applications/virusto...
has the download LINK and a tutorial. Note: The tutorial version shows 2.0, but the download
version is 2.2.
https://www.virustotal.com/en/faq/
more details including file upload size limitations:
" What is the maximum file size that can be submitted to VirusTotal?

64MB for the web and email interfaces, 32MB for the API interface by default. Having said this,
should you have a strong and justified need to send big files through the API (even larger than
64MB) you can contact us in order to have access to the big files API call. "

There are some other programs similar to VirusTotal at

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/probably-best-free-security-list...
5.1. File scanning with several scanners:

I'm still using VirusTotal 2.0 but will be installing 2.2 shortly.

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Submitted by Anupam on 2. April 2014 - 7:45

(115445)
I have covered majority of the above points in the article already. The article is directed
specifically towards new users... so that they make the minimum changes in settings required in
order to run Sandboxie without problems.

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Submitted by sdebo on 31. March 2014 - 10:11

(115416)

Different users will need different features. In my case I found the article very useful and will try
sandboxie as it matches what I was looking for. Thank you.

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Submitted by Anupam on 30. March 2014 - 13:18

(115407)
I know Sandboxie has many settings, which people find a lot to go through initially. I too had that
problem in the beginning. That's why I thought of writing this article, which will help people set
up Sandboxie in a quick way, with the necessary settings. You have to spend some time reading
the article though. Toolwiz TimeFree is an excellent software no doubt. But, so is Sandboxie.
Both are good in their own ways. Toolwiz TimeFreeze has the advantage that it's easy to use with
no learning curve at all. It's perfect to test out different software. All you have to do is reboot
and the changes are gone. But Sandboxie has it's own advantages too, and is specially good for
browsing. With Toolwiz TimeFreeze, you have to apply all the changes into the system at once, or
discard them all. Whereas, with Sandboxie, you can just take out a file, or files, and you do not
have to commit all the changes to the system. Like, you are browsing, and you downloaded a
file.. you can take it out to your real system with Sandboxie easily, but you cannot do that with
TimeFreeze. Also, with TimeFreeze you have to reboot the computer. Suppose you tested a
software running TimeFreeze... you didn't like it. You have to reboot the computer to get rid of
the changes. Whereas with Sandboxie, all you have to do is empty the sandbox and it's gone.
Both the software are excellent, and both have their uses. For day to day browsing, I would
certainly prefer Sandboxie. For system wide testing and other purposes, I use Toolwiz
TimeFreeze.

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Submitted by Mifune on 19. June 2013 - 13:39

(108600)

"Quick Guide to Sandboxie"

"Quick" it is not.
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Submitted by Anupam on 19. June 2013 - 15:16

(108601)
I agree it looks lengthy, but I have tried to make it as short as possible, and have tried to touch all
the important concepts of Sandboxie, which a general user will require to understand, to use
Sandboxie properly, without problems. I believe it's still quicker than going trying to understand
Sandboxie by yourself.

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Submitted by Mike C on 20. June 2013 - 0:10

(108609)

Yeah, I learned most of Sandboxie by myself, and yet I'm still very glad I read this article. The
shortcut thing was particularly helpful. And I still think this is one of the most outstanding
freewares around.

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Submitted by Anupam on 20. June 2013 - 4:42

(108610)
Yes, it's a great software :). I am glad you found the article helpful :).

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Submitted by fandango on 1. March 2013 - 16:05

(105868)

Very long time Gizmo fan. Always read items on Sandboxie but shied away from installing
because I was uncertain that I had the knowledge/experience to do so. Your clear and detailed
article is a terrific help and has prompted me to now finally act. Thanks, thanks, thanks Anupam.

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Submitted by Anupam on 1. March 2013 - 22:04

(105872)
Really my pleasure fandango :).. I am glad that the article will help you in trying out Sandboxie :).
Good luck, and please post in the forum, if you have any queries.

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Pages

1 2next ›last »

============================================================================

Comments
Submitted by Jaxon on 1. March 2013 - 6:15
(105846)

This is to clear up my comment because a name of my 'commercial' backup program and

mentioning the names of my other security programs got deleted and it sort of makes my whole
comment sound a bit retarded. My backup program has a feature that resembles Sandboxie, it's
sort of a 'try and decide' thing where you can install stuff and if you like it you keep it and if not,
turn the feature off and it disappears.
And as for this Sandboxie thing, if you always use it while online, why would you have use for
any other security? I did read the caution that you still need your anti-virus, etc. but if you
always, 100% of the time you are online are running on this 'virtual' machine (OK,sort of), why
would you need anything else? Since you are operating out of a computer that disappears when
you're done, why would you still need protection? It'd take some planning and work, I know, but
being able to get away from other security software seems like the whole point of using
something like Sandboxie. Otherwise, why use it? I'm a careful browser and have never gotten
attacked by anything that my anti-virus, firewall, etc. didn't take care of, but why even use it if
everything is just temporary? Any answers to the above questions will be appreciated & thanks
in advance. Any downloads or bookmarks, notes or other stuff you could have sent to a memory
stick or an external drive that you unplug before closing the browser, so it'd be out of Sandboxies
reach, right? Probably not, but I can't figure out why.

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Submitted by Anupam on 1. March 2013 - 6:55

(105854)
Hi Jaxon, sorry for the edit. This being a freeware site, we allow discussion/mention of only
freeware, and edit out commercial stuff, otherwise it just attracts more commercial related stuff
and spam. I hope you understand. As for what you say about needing any other security
software... those are still needed, because although Sandboxie provides an isolated
environment, still, it does not scan the stuff for malware activity, etc, nor does it stop a program
from sending out information to the internet, even when running under Sandboxie. Therefore,
it's not a replacement for security software like antivirus, or firewall. Sandboxie just provides an
isolated environment so that any malware detected cannot escape out to the system. An
antivirus is still needed to make sure that the downloaded files, etc are not malicious. Because, if
you need to take the files out of Sandboxie, you need to be sure it's not malicious. An antivirus,
or an antispyware takes care of that. Atleast general, inexperienced users will still need security
software. But yes, if you are experienced enough, and have enough confident on Sandboxie,
then you can do without these security software. Some of our site members who are
experienced enough are doing that. But still, they do follow safe practices, and also take enough
precaution to scan the downloaded files with an on-demand antivirus/antispyware. So, you still
have to be careful. About the pen drive/external drive... yes, if you unplug them before closing
browser, or emptying Sandboxie, the stuff will remain saved inside it.

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Submitted by Jaxon on 1. March 2013 - 10:27

(105860)

Thanks so very much for the informative and inclusive reply. I've been hanging around Gizmos
since I discovered the internet and since I live in a rain forest that just recently got other than
dial up service it is still a lot newer to me than most. But I catch on quick and at least half of my
software comes from recommendations from this site. I sort of figured out why the names that
got 'edited' got the circular file but the Panda reference sort of unbalanced me cause I didn't
know it was free. About the only thing you didn't clear up completely though is any difference
between Sandboxie and the 'try and decide' feature on one of the biggest names in backup
software. The few times I've used it, if I'm remembering correctly, it sounds a lot like the
Sandbox, with maybe a couple of extra features and the only reason I don't use it more is
because I have to open the program, go to that particular tool and wait a few seconds while it
checks all my drives involved, because only my OS runs on my small SSD and everything else
goes off to several other drives, both internal and external. I do very little random browsing so
most of it involves sites I know well and trust completely to a point where my paid security stuff
doesn't have much to do. Or at least I don't think it does, it's set on a sort of autopilot setting
where I let it make all the decisions, because I've used it for years and it's got a sterling
reputation and has never failed me. But it ain't cheap either and as of late I've been debating
ways to not use such high end and totally inclusive software, that although my laptop runs with a
QX9300 quad core with more RAM than my old OS can even use I'm trying to modernize without
giving up the major stuff I'm comfortable with. I tend to start rambling and I'm doing it now so,
thanks very much and I'll save my other list of questions for a later date. And since this is maybe
the second time I've commented here in the 5 or 6 years I've been hanging around I'll take note
of your suggestions and the rules about naming names. Thanks again and Pura vida, as we say
round here.

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Submitted by Anupam on 1. March 2013 - 13:00

(105865)
Jaxon, I haven't used that software which you are talking about, so I can't say what are the
differences between it and Sandboxie. All of the software I use are free ones, so I don't need to
go for a commercial software, and therefore, I don't have any idea. But, it sounds like a
virtualization based software too, like Sandboxie, so if it works for you, then it's good, and you
can keep using it. There are other software like Sandboxie, which work on the principle of
virtualization and sandbox, like VirtualBox, ToolWiz Time Freeze, Bufferzone, etc. Sandboxie is
lightweight, easy to setup, and easy to use, and that's why many people like Sandboxie. You can
read the article, try Sandboxie, and see for yourself how it compares to the other software.
Then, you can use the one which you like, and which is easy to use. With Sandboxie, you will not
have to wait the extra time that you told about. About antivirus, there are many free excellent
antivirus present, and if you are looking for a change, you can try them out. I have been using
free antivirus for years now, and haven't been infected, like many others on this site. For longer
discussion, please start a thread in the forum (link has been provided by MC in reply to your
comment below), and we will have the discussion there. Glad you commented, and it would be
good to have more discussion with you. Pura Vida :)

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Submitted by harold seattle on 1. March 2013 - 3:32

(105845)

I've been using Panda Safe. Sounds about the same. Panda Safe puts you in a virtual box and
when you exit everything disappears. Thus no malware. Well to a point. Neither are bullet proof,
but for most of us should be more then adequate.

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Submitted by Anupam on 1. March 2013 - 6:46

(105852)
Thanks for the comment. I was not aware of Panda Safe Browser. Did some reading, and I think
to use it, you should have VirtualBox installed on the computer, which is a bit "heavy" software.
Whereas Sandboxie is quite lightweight. Anyways, there are alternatives, yes, and its on the user
with which he feels more comfortable.

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Submitted by Jaxon on 1. March 2013 - 6:20

(105849)

I know you, the comment writer can't answer this but I'm curious why your mention of a Panda
product got through while my mention of a couple of programs got 'edited' to take the names
out. Maybe someone up in the Gizmo office might help me clear the incident up. Not trying to
make a fuss, it's just that I don't usually comment here and am trying to figure out the rules.
Thanks to anyone that may help me out here.....

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Submitted by MidnightCowboy on 1. March 2013 - 7:48

(105857)
As Anupam states below the main reason for these edits is to deter spam which is currently
running in excess of 50,000 attempts (yes that's fifty thousand) a day. Most of this is dealt with
automatically but still leaves a significant amount for our volunteers to handle manually. The
type of commercial software mentioned in your original post is also one of the most spammed
categories here. Thank you for your understanding. MC - Site Manager.

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Submitted by Jaxon on 1. March 2013 - 10:45

(105861)

Without going off on my long winded style, thanks to you too, Cowboy and if you just go up a
few comments to my reply to Anupam, consider it as addressed to you too. I may start spending
a bit more time reading the articles and comments here, up till now Gizmo's just been a software
grab bag (and a good one)for me. Since I'm only about half smart when it comes to the details
maybe I can learn something useful if I hang around enough. Ahh, I see the 'Site Manager' note
as I write this, so I'll slip an unrelated (well...everything's 'related' when we're talking computers,
no?) question. Is there any section, forum, blog or whatever around here where I can ask
questions...like for instance, how would I go about 'secure erasing' my first, and getting a bit old
but still very much alive, SLC SSD that sits in a drawer only because I've updated to a newer and
much much cheaper MLC SSD (from the same company, begins with an 'S'), but despite it's
quality I've used it so much, and mistreated it almost as much, that it needs the erase and I've
yet to find something that works. Everything I've tried (all variations of the same thing), I haven't
been able to get to work. But I'm ranting on again, so if you're not angry yet maybe you could
just point me in the right direction. Thanks and Pura vida to you too. Jaxon

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Submitted by MidnightCowboy on 1. March 2013 - 11:10

(105862)
We do indeed have a forum where you can interact with our editors and other members in
addition to requesting support on a wide range of topics. MC - Site Manager.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum/

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Submitted by Anupam on 1. March 2013 - 6:44
(105851)
Panda Safe is a free product, and therefore, it can be mentioned here. Our site is a freeware
based site, and therefore, we discuss only freeware. We remove any mentions of commercial
software, because it attracts more commercial software based comments, and also more
commercial spam, which we do not want. Hope this clears the issue :).

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Submitted by Jaxon on 2. March 2013 - 8:40

(105882)

Thanks again and yes, it clears the 'issue' up completely and is totally understood. When I first
started buying my own computers, which is only 7 years ago, I didn't know squat and only went
with the best software I could find after intensive research in each category and when I
discovered Gizmos I filled in a lot of empty spaces with the, thus far, wonderful stuff you offer.
I'm talking screen capture, uninstall software, and various other hardware monitoring and
tweaking programs. I'm not sure if I found 18kFanGUI here or not (I'm a Dell fan), but that might
be the only software other than my security and backup and image and photo stuff that I didn't
get here. I'm not trying to be a kiss up but you really do have a wonderful service and I'm going
to start treating it other than just a catalog when I want a program. Evernote is the last 'find' I
picked up from you and gee, it's incredible they just give you stuff like that. Am I allowed to
mention software that I picked up as a free version here but ended up going on to upgrade to
the paid version? Because Object Dock, free version was so great that I discovered that the paid
version is twice as nice and if I blab names like that do I face the editing squad again? Again, I'm
not being snarky, I'm just learning the rules, ya know? That last question about the dock
software I ask because my first computer came with Panda on it but it was a 'trial' deal that you
had to pay for if you wanted to keep it. And I found it not top notch as far as security suite type
programs go. Being paranoid has been a good thing for me as far as online security goes and
though I'd love to stop paying for it, I'm just too chicken about keeping my machine squeaky
clean, and I do prefer one tool that does it all to avoid the conflicts and the work involved getting
a firewall to get along with the antivirus to get along with the malware, etc. I'm willing to pay for
software with an 'autopilot' setting, when it comes to security. But free stuff sure is nice and
wallet friendly.

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Submitted by Anupam on 2. March 2013 - 9:28

(105885)
Well, we do not want to be too strict, but yes, it would be good if you avoided mentioning
commercial software, even if they were the commercial versions of a free software. After all, the
site is about freeware, and we would like to keep it that way :). Also, please post in the forum for
longer discussions, or out of topic discussions, since your present comment is not related to the
topic. We do appreciate your comment though, and also that you find Gizmo's Freeware
useful :).

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Submitted by redstick on 28. February 2013 - 15:21

(105825)

I've used Sandboxie for a while, and feel uncomfortable without it; it's like learning to use a seat
belt. A couple of things to note: you have to exit Sandboxie to perform changes to profiles --
bookmarks, for example, because your profiles reside in your system (your browser will tell you
that the bookmark is saved, but it ain't so). Key loggers can reside in the Sandboxie window and
do their dirty, so be paranoid enough to empty the sandbox before going to any sensitive sites
(bank, etc.). It should also be a reflex to delete any sandboxed files before closing down.

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Submitted by Anupam on 28. February 2013 - 15:30

(105827)
Thanks redstick for your comment :). I agree, once you start using Sandboxie, you get used to it,
but that's a good habit to have. I have already mentioned the point about saving settings outside
of Sandboxie for them to stick, and have also covered the point about bookmarks, under Settings
section about web browsers... by allowing direct access to bookmarks, they will be saved
without the need to save them out of Sandboxie. It's a good point about emptying Sandboxie
before doing any banking work. I will try to include it in the article somewhere. Thanks :)

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Submitted by redstick on 28. February 2013 - 22:04

(105843)

Whoops! My bad -- apologies for stating the already stated. Speed-read strikes again.

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Submitted by pottster on 28. February 2013 - 12:43

(105819)

I've been using Sandboxie successfully for years. Having recommended the program to a number
of other people this will be an excellent article to point them to for getting started. Even with
experienced users it's good to cover the basics again. Many thanks.

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Submitted by Anupam on 28. February 2013 - 14:09

(105822)
My pleasure :), and I sincerely hope people will be helped by this article.

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Submitted by Joe A.TT on 26. February 2013 - 23:04

(105786)

Excellent article Anupam!

Just 4 observations from me:

1. The free version (which we are concerned with at Gizmo's) only allows users to open one
sandbox at a time. So plan with this in mind.

2. After installing Sandboxie for 30 days, the user will get a pop-up dialog box that imposes a 5-
second delay.

3. As great a program as Sandboxie is, it is not fool-proof, and users must still be alert and
practice safe computer habits.

4. The yellow box surrounding the browser, or whatever program is sandboxed, only appears
when the mouse is pointed at the top of the window (at least on my installation of Sandboxie it
is so).

1 and 2 above may appear restrictive, but is a small price to pay for such a great program.

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Submitted by bo.elam on 28. February 2013 - 5:11

(105812)

On #4, that's how Appearance works with default settings. If you like the yellow border to
remain at all times, Go to:

Sandbox Settings>Appearance and untick "Display the border only when the mouse cursor is in
the Window title".
You can also change the color of the border if you like. Personally, I don't like those color and
prefer the traditional Sandboxie # marks in the Window title. If you like to try it, untick all
settings under appearance and click apply.

Bo

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Submitted by Anupam on 27. February 2013 - 11:58

(105796)
I have now made the changes in the article and included all suggestions. Thanks again :).

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Submitted by Anupam on 27. February 2013 - 6:21

(105793)
Thanks a lot Joe :) And really good suggestions! I will include them all in the article. Good
observation on the 4th point, will make corrections. Many thanks! :)

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Submitted by Joe A.TT on 27. February 2013 - 20:21

(105806)

I'm just happy that I can make a worthwhile input :)

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